Ex-cops Get Year Each For Taking Payoffs

La Grange Park Pair Shook Down Swindlers

Two former longtime police detectives for suburban La Grange Park were sentenced to a year in prison Thursday for shaking down protection payoffs from scam artists who preyed on the elderly.

The former officers, who both pleaded guilty to extortion in 1998 without working out a deal with prosecutors, still face trial on a racketeering charge.

In addition to the prison term, defendants Thomas Phelan and Alvin Chodora were each fined $5,000, ordered to pay a combined $3,000 in restitution to several victims and told to do 300 hours of community service.

Phelan, a 31-year member of the force, had a reputation as an expert on home-repair and other frauds, but he admitted in court that by 1993 he was taking payoffs from the criminals.

Beset with financial problems, Chodora, a sergeant and Phelan's supervisor, said he joined the scheme by late 1996.

Authorities said the two extorted $4,300 from eight victims and were caught on videotape taking payoffs as part of an undercover operation.

"And now I'm suffering for it," he said. "I embarrassed a lot of people and ruined a lot of friendships and lost the respect of the village."

Phelan's lawyer, Jeffrey Steinback, said the scheme started when Phelan put pressure on suspects to pay restitution to victims in cases that weren't strong enough to be prosecuted.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Dean Polales blasted the former detectives for not bothering to do the rudimentary work necessary for prosecution and then taking money from "the people (they) should be investigating."

In imposing the sentence, U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber said the misconduct of the two men allowed scam artists to continue to prey on victims.

But Leinenweber rejected a prosecution request for stiffer prison terms based on the men's abuse of sensitive law enforcement posts.